Meffert AG produces technical leaflets with crossbase

Thanks to an extensive data interface to our ERP system InforLN, a high degree of automation was achieved in the creation of technical data sheets. The use of the crossbase solution leads to noticeable time and cost reductions.

Raphael Hoppenthaler
IT Coordinator / Administrator, Meffert AG Farbwerke

Meffert AG Farbwerke is a leading German manufacturer of paints, coatings, plasters and building protection products. Founded in 1947 and headquartered in Bad Kreuznach, the company is independent and family-owned. It has six German and five international production sites. Brands of Meffert AG include düfa, ProfiTec, Dinova and Tex-Color.

Central functions of the solution

Interface to the ERP system Infor LN

A comprehensive XML interface was implemented to synchronize the information of 4,400 products, corresponding to 21,000 items (package sizes), between the ERP and PIM systems. In the PIM system, product data is inherited by the items at the product level to enable optimal data storage and efficient maintenance. The interface also automatically prepares the technical data sheets in the crossbase publication structure for further data maintenance.

Data maintenance of product data and media assets in PIM

Meffert maintains about 100 attributes in 60 classes. Additionally, ingredients are maintained in a recipe structure and referenced to product groups. These texts are supplemented with reusable document modules. In this way, text components of the information sheets can be automatically combined to form uniform texts.

An additional maintenance structure enables central administration of underground pre-treatments and referencing to product groups via drag & drop. This reduces the editorial effort of the technical data sheets to a minimum. The integrated product preview simulates the assembly and allows a quick visual inspection.

Functions for Output in the Print Area

In addition, a special table type was developed for the technical data sheets, which automatically determines the possible substrate pre-treatments of a product via references and inheritance and filters out brand-specific products for pre-treatment. This has further reduced the time and effort required to produce the information sheets. On this basis, more than 400 multi-page technical data sheets with brand-specific layout in several languages have so far been produced automatically using Adobe InDesign.